It was the beginning of my friendship with Lanasia.
Technically, she's my only best friend, and nagging me about my mate has been a part of it. However, her life is in the line because of the Vengeance pack because of her connection with a silver wolf. We entrusted Hessuel's welfare to her brother, Cormelio.
That was a highly confidential plan.
One time, I was proud that I retrained any suspicious reaction when Biaco, the Alpha, visited my house. He was looking for Lanasia or the ones closest to her. Too bad, when I honestly told them the location, they knew at first that she was missing.
"That's the only place I knew she lives but if she isn't there, I know not where else," I testified. I was caressing one of my dogs on my lap and he was sitting in front of me, discussing Lanasia's matter in the living room. The silence in between our conversation was the sound of distrust.
He was suffering the mental torture of remorse throughout his life. His only way to conceal it was to avert his thoughts to the future of his pack. There were times that I tried to break it but it only gave him false hopes. However, his immortality was a spell by an Eldar, frankly, the same Eldar that owns the necklace. I figured out at that point that he has something to do with Hessuel.
"Why did you implement the servitude? It's against the peace between humanity and werewolves," I questioned him when I got a chance.
"The Eldar who cast the curse on me... He shall rise again from the dead to kill me. He might be hiding in his opposite identity. Unfortunately, I know how his riddle works. I shall make him suffer to death before he could recognize the world he's in."
"Silly question, what if death is your only freedom from pain?"
"I don't want to die. I want to be healed."
That answer created a memorable piece of memory. But I can't let him find the only silver wolf. I care for them both. There must be another way to solve the conflict.
13 years had passed. Plenty of events had happened. I became closer to Lanasia but our only source of conversation was through letters, oftentimes, it takes thirty days before we receive the messages. Many of my dogs died. And there comes another part of the fur family whenever I adopt.
And about Linly, heretofore her condition remained the same. No manifestations from the Moon Goddess. She lives like an ordinary girl and found a male best friend that she can be proud of, Manjiro. Eventually, he became my friend as well.
It wasn't easy to feel old. My movements were so limited! One morning, I stared at my old face in front of the mirror. I should be proud that I prolonged my life for seventy-two years. And it was a perfect time that I used my original spell, the spell that defies my mortality. If I were to go back to my younger age, I would choose 23. The spell is recorded in my spellbook when I enchant it, my eyes were closed, and after the enchantment, I opened my eyes again.
I'm back at age twenty-three!
No back pains, no joint aches, no dentures! But when I lay down on my bed, something is still missing: someone. I suddenly missed Shun's voice, his touch, his kisses, his body. Then I realized it was my werewolf nature feeling young again. And the mate bond. It was consuming me wherewith the cravings brought me to a place where I could satiate my desire.
The only spot I got that evening was the island counter of a young bartender. Everyone was happy in this place. Sadly, when I came here, I only missed Shun greater. How I wish he was here to be merry with me. Later on, the young bartender gave me a piece of paper. He said that someone wanted to give it. My face winced as my brain suffered from the penmanship, "Yow lwk so... sad? How... came I..." I released an enchast with one finger and wrote 'Please improve your penmanship.' And then I gave it back to the bartender.
I drank the wine from the shot cup. Another man my age approached me as expected. From the first glance, he looks rich. "That was a harsh reply from your arid emotion!" he said and he was smiling confidently. "Let me rephrase, is there anything I could do to make you happy in a happy place?"
"Me? So, you're not the type of person who minds his own business?"
"No. People weren't born alone in this world to mind only themselves and their business. Let's just say that motto is not applicable all the time. You can tell me if you don't want to be nagged. I just found you lonely, that's all."
"One way for you to notice me is you have no circle of friends to lend your focus with. Does it mean you're lonely, too?"
He made a short laugh. "Right. And two similar things attract one another."
"Then why is it that you bother to make someone else happy when you're not?"
"Oh, one of the major reasons why people are sad is because they think only about themselves and concerns. It is a manner of spoiling oneself. But you'll know the magic of happiness if you make others happy. Their happiness shall surely reflect in you. For that being said, what makes you sad?"
"Longing. I lost a loved one."
"... I see. I'm sorry. We're the same—. But no, I shouldn't talk about myself."
"I miss the person. He died a long time ago. How about you? You came here to go home happy later, no? Maybe you can make me happy if I make you happy?"
"You're clever to use my own logic against me!" He smirked. "The thing is... my beloved died. And now I am forced to marry another woman for the sake of my family."
"The curse of wealth, indeed. That's why I walked away from it. I don't want to be an ornament of a rich man."
"You... Wow, you're from a wealthy family? before?"
"Yes. A tragic thing about living is having manipulative parents. They ignore your own definition of success."
"That's why you ran away? You're brave."
We got lost in the conversation, we got drunk, and shared laughter. This was how I got to know him, Zithri. He was convinced of my principle of running away. And so I taught him for one night. Just by the exchanges of our glances, our lips, tells something already. I took him to my house and aggressively sucked our kisses behind the door. The dogs were barking at him insomuch I took him to my own room. We, then, got lost in our cravings for pleasure.
He's insanely a good kisser! Though tipsy, we vividly found ourselves naked while the burning kisses on our skin crawled. However, I'm still unsatisfied. His heat wasn't the heat my body was looking for. I can't force my innocent young mate to do this with me either! That was how my relationship with Zithri rolled. Secretly surrendering our bodies in pleasure to one another in two consecutive weeks.
I was still craving something.
A loud slap on Zithri's face echoed followed by the yell of his father, "WHAT GREAT SHAME YOU'VE BROUGHT INTO YOURSELF! YOUR FAMILY!" I was behind Zithri inside their mansion, trying to defend me from his family. But the mother cast me out and said, "Stay away from my son, you gold-digger slut."
I was so insensitive. I ruined Zithri's life and his family. What kind of woman am I when it comes to love? Can't I deserve the feelings of romance? Or perhaps because I attempted to rebuild another in a form of sin?
After that discord, we've never seen each other again although I waited at the bar for him. Zithri was the love in my lust. Our feelings are shallow but our devotion was genuine. It was a lonesome way to end what we had. The hardest thing about moving on is starting over. It's hard to turn one's back from what was built with love. And that is Shun to me. This tells me that I lost someone I cannot replace.
Damn romance.
The day I was restless, something happened.
"Linly is gone! Please help us find her! She could be abducted as a slave!" her mother pleaded.
Not just Linly but other dark-skinned families suffer from the sudden loss of their loved ones. I can't lose Linly! She's the vessel I experimented with and it's a waste if my spell is sleeping in her. Chiefly, she's family.
The first action I made was to raise the concern with Tanya. Although I'm irritated with her sassy demeanor. She passed the blame on Mraz. I reprimanded her for relinquishing her protection for all people in her city.
And then I set my journey on the city train. When I got to the metropolis of Lanbarc, I proceeded to address the issue with Mraz but just like Tanya, they both annoyed me. "I'm really sorry, Moon Priestess. I'm trying to tighten the world of this undercover silver wolf. The Alpha said so himself, aye! Soon, his real identity shall be revealed, or if you really wish to free the slaves now, bring the silver wolf to me."
I slammed the mini table in front of us. "You have my warning. Humans are harshly affected because of this law! Once I override this, none of the guilty shall be condoned!" I exclaimed. Never in my pure desires have I wanted to put one's life at risk to save the other. Especially this silver wolf, my mate. I thought at the moment that Mraz must be satisfied by seeing the silver wolf before the punishment for being an unrighteous leader.
I rented an inn in the village of Small Vil. It was quiet and the home of professionals, the place where my mate lived for the last 13 or more. I wonder how he was doing? Is he still traumatized about his past? Did it affect his personality? I paid a visit to his home to see what he looks like, stalking like wind. I squinted at the door of their garden dome and found only Lanasia's brother. The past years made him wrinkled.
"Uncle Cor! Your turn. The spring is still lukewarm," said the lively guy. He passed through me and the sight of him made me block the door open to subconsciously stare at him. Intense nervousness struck me at that moment. And I can't keep my eyes off his soaked body. A towel was hanging on his shoulder. When his uncle shouted at him for not drying his body first, he hugged his uncle and teased him.
He was different from the man I expected. His eyes and smile are the brightest I've seen in a while. Suddenly, our eyes met. Can he see me? I closed the door immediately and ran away like a busted stalker, the heartbeat was already overworked! He was checking if someone was outside yet I was glad I acted in advance that night. It was the beginning of him driving my involuntary emotions crazy. The effect of the mate bond is unbelievable!
No matter what, I had to approach him. I performed an enchantment against the mate bond power within me to conceal it. I didn't want another romance. I didn't want another heartbreak. Especially now that I'm a widow and a dumped woman.
It was the next morning when I jerked out of my bed the hour I heard Hessuel's salesmanship. I hurried to peep through the window but the sunlight blinded my newly awakened eyes! I acted my age; washed my face, and fixed myself before I confronted him. However, the moment my eyes found his smile again, everything slowed down; it was just me and him in my perspective, my heartbeat had gone crazy once again, gentle wind swayed my tied hair, and the crap of a stork dropped almost in front of me. That saved me from my cringey romantic moment!
Every step I made toward him decreased my confidence to approach him. He was busy with his patrons and I was busy arguing with my brain about what I should say. I lost my guts to tell him my intention. I was staring at the cabbage when I twitched after hearing his voice beside me. "Good morning! Is there anything you want to buy?" I was standing close to him when my whole system panicked.
He has a perfect nose, great stance, a husky and fluffy body, and the smile was cute. I wasn't able to escape right away from the situation because he played logic on me! I bought the cabbage I had nothing to do with. The trembling of my knees made me stumbled and I got up right away before he could come any closer to me. I locked myself that morning in the inn, sticking the cabbage onto my forehead, and imagining his face again and again.
What would it feel to suck those smiley lips? What would it feel to lie down with him? caress our skin with tongue and kisses? share our body's heat? pinch those arms? and be embraced by those? "What on the brain am I thinking!?" I screamed and laid the cabbage at the table, asking questions like "Can he feel the same? Is the mate bond working for him too?" But it seemed that he didn't recognize me.
While on the other hand, my enchantment was not enough to conceal my starving werewolf half. I knew from that moment... that I've got no escape from romance.